Door support device

Abstract

The hinge unit has: a door bracket (110) fixed to a sliding door (30), a movable arm (121) rotatably connected to the door bracket (110), and a locking mechanism (130) fixed to the movable arm (121) and restraining the sliding door (30) to a striker (70) when the sliding door (30) is arranged at a fully open position. The locking mechanism (130) has: a release cable (150) for releasing the restraint of the sliding door (30) to the striker (70), and a cable guide (137) for holding the release cable (150). The cable guide (137) is rotatable relative to the movable arm (121).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to door support devices. Background Technology

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a vehicle having a body with a door opening and a sliding door for opening and closing the door opening. The body has a striker shaft located near the lower end and rear end of the door opening. The sliding door has: a door body, a door bracket fixed to the lower end of the door body, a movable arm rotatably connected to the door bracket, and a locking mechanism disposed on the movable arm. When the sliding door is opened or closed, the door body moves forward and backward and in the width direction while maintaining its posture relative to the body by rotating the movable arm relative to the door bracket. Furthermore, when the sliding door is positioned in the fully open position with the door opening fully open, the locking mechanism is locked in a locked state against the striker shaft. In this way, the sliding door is restrained relative to the body in the fully open position.

[0003] Existing technical documents

[0004] Patent documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-121576

[0006] The technical problem that the invention aims to solve

[0007] When closing a sliding door from its fully open position, it is necessary to release the locking mechanism. Therefore, the aforementioned locking mechanism is typically connected to a release cable that transmits power to release the locking mechanism. However, in vehicles like the one described above, the movable arm of the locking mechanism rotates during the opening and closing of the sliding door. Therefore, in such vehicles, the rotation of the movable arm during the opening and closing of the sliding door may exert a bending load on the release cable. Summary of the Invention

[0008] Technical means for solving technical problems

[0009] According to one aspect of the present invention, a door support device supports a sliding door on a vehicle body having a door opening on its side. The sliding door opens and closes the door opening. The door support device includes a guide rail and a hinge unit, the guide rail being fixed to the vehicle body in a longitudinal direction. The hinge unit includes a guide roller, a door bracket, a movable arm, and a locking mechanism. The guide roller moves along the guide rail by rolling relative to it. The door bracket is fixed to the sliding door. The movable arm supports the guide roller in a rotatable manner and is rotatably connected to the door bracket. The locking mechanism is fixed to the movable arm and constrains the sliding door to a striker on the vehicle body when the sliding door is positioned in a fully open position with the door opening fully open. The locking mechanism includes a release cable and a cable guide for holding the release cable, the release cable being pulled to release the constraint of the sliding door on the striker based on the locking mechanism. The cable guide is rotatable relative to the movable arm.

[0010] Invention Effects

[0011] The door support device can prevent the load on the release cable when the sliding door is opened and closed. Attached Figure Description

[0012] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram showing a vehicle equipped with a door support device according to one embodiment.

[0013] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A top view of the lower rail and lower hinge unit of the door support device.

[0014] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 Exploded perspective view of the lower hinge unit of the door support device.

[0015] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 An exploded perspective view of the locking mechanism of the lower hinge unit.

[0016] Figure 5 yes Figure 3 A top view of the locking mechanism of the lower hinge unit.

[0017] Figure 6 This is an explanation Figure 1 A top view showing the function of the door support device.

[0018] Figure 7 This is an explanation Figure 1 A top view showing the function of the door support device.

[0019] Figure 8 This is an explanation Figure 1 A top view showing the function of the door support device.

[0020] Figure 9 This is a top view illustrating the function of the door support device in the reference example. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The following describes one embodiment of a vehicle equipped with a door support device. This embodiment describes, for example, an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle that has a large battery located in the space under the floor.

[0022] <Structure of this embodiment>

[0023] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the vehicle 10 includes a body 20, a sliding door 30, a door support device 40, a remote controller 80, and a door drive device 90.

[0024] In the following description, the width direction, the front-rear direction, and the vertical direction of the vehicle 10 will be referred to as the width direction, the front-rear direction, and the vertical direction, respectively. In the figure, the front-rear direction is the direction extending from the X-axis, the width direction is the direction extending from the Y-axis, and the vertical direction is the direction extending from the Z-axis. In addition, in the width direction, the direction towards the center of the vehicle 10 is called the inward direction, and the direction away from the center of the vehicle 10 is called the outward direction.

[0025] <Car Body 20>

[0026] The vehicle body 20 has a door opening 21 and a receiving space 22. The door opening 21 is a side opening in the width direction of the vehicle body 20. The door opening 21 is rectangular. In a side view in the width direction, the short side of the door opening 21 is aligned with the front-rear direction, and the long side is aligned with the vertical direction. The door opening 21 is a passageway for users to get in and out of the rear seats. The receiving space 22 is a side opening in the width direction of the vehicle body 20. The receiving space 22 is located below the door opening 21. The receiving space 22 is a space for accommodating the lower rail 51 and the lower hinge unit 61, which will be described later. When the vehicle 10 has sliding doors 30 on both sides in the width direction, there are two receiving spaces 22 spaced apart in the width direction. Furthermore, the space between the two receiving spaces 22 spaced apart in the width direction becomes a space for mounting the battery.

[0027] <Sliding Door 30>

[0028] The sliding door 30 has a door body 31 and a door handle 35. The door body 31 is shaped to correspond to the door opening 21.

[0029] The door body 31 has an inner panel 32 and an outer panel 33. The inner panel 32 is the portion of the door body 31 facing inward toward the vehicle 10. The inner panel 32 includes a cable insertion hole 32a extending through the inner panel 32 in the thickness direction. The cable insertion hole 32a is located near the lower end and the front end of the inner panel 32. The outer panel 33 is the portion of the door body 31 facing outward toward the vehicle 10. The door handle 35 is operated by the user when opening and closing the sliding door 30. The door handle 35 includes an inner door handle provided on the inner panel 32 of the door body 31 and an outer door handle provided on the outer panel 33 of the door body 31. The sliding door 30 is movable between a fully closed position with the door opening 21 fully closed and a fully open position with the door opening 21 fully open.

[0030] <Door support device 40>

[0031] like Figure 1 As shown, the door support device 40 includes a lower rail 51, a middle rail 52, an upper rail 53, a lower hinge unit 61, a middle hinge unit 62, an upper hinge unit 63, and a striker 70. The lower rail 51 is equivalent to a "guide rail", and the lower hinge unit 61 is equivalent to a "hinge unit".

[0032] <Lower Track 51>

[0033] The lower rail 51 is an elongated component. The lower rail 51 extends in a forward-backward direction. The lower rail 51 has a first curved portion 51a constituting the rear portion and a second curved portion 51b constituting the front portion. The first curved portion 51a curves inward in the width direction as it travels forward. The second curved portion 51b curves outward in the width direction as it travels forward from the front end of the first curved portion 51a.

[0034] The long side of the rear end of the first curved portion 51a is generally along the front-rear direction. On the other hand, the long side of the front end of the second curved portion 51b intersects the front-rear direction. In the front-rear direction, the length of the first curved portion 51a is longer than the length of the second curved portion 51b. The radius of curvature of the first curved portion 51a is larger than the radius of curvature of the second curved portion 51b. Furthermore, when the curve is drawn along the first curved portion 51a, the curve has an inflection point at the middle of the front-rear direction. On the other hand, when the curve is drawn along the second curved portion 51b, the curve does not have an inflection point at the middle of the front-rear direction.

[0035] The lower rail 51 is fixed to the lower part of the body 20 below the lower end of the door opening 21. With the lower rail 51 fixed to the body 20, the front end of the second curved portion 51b is located in a position that extends straight forward from the rear end of the first curved portion 51a. That is, in the width direction, the rear end and the front end of the lower rail 51 are located at the same position.

[0036] <Lower hinge unit 61>

[0037] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the lower hinge unit 61 includes a door bracket 110, a guide mechanism 120, a locking mechanism 130, a connecting shaft 160, and two bolts 170.

[0038] The door bracket 110 is formed, for example, by stamping a sheet metal. The door bracket 110 has a side wall 111 and a bottom wall 112. Both the side wall 111 and the bottom wall 112 are plate-shaped. The side wall 111 includes a fixing surface 111a, which contacts the surface of the door body 31 when fixed to it. The bottom wall 112 extends from the lower end of the side wall 111 in the thickness direction of the side wall 111. In this embodiment, the door bracket 110 is composed of two separately formed components, but in other embodiments, it may be composed of a single component.

[0039] <Guiding Agency 120>

[0040] The guide mechanism 120 has a movable arm 121, two guide rollers 122 and 123 and a support roller 124.

[0041] The movable arm 121 is a long, plate-shaped member. The movable arm 121 has a main wall 121a and a support wall 121b. The movable arm 121 is formed, for example, by stamping a sheet metal. In this case, the main wall 121a and the support wall 121b are plate-shaped. The main wall 121a is a long, flat plate. The support wall 121b is bent from the base end of the main wall 121a in the direction of the plate thickness of the main wall 121a. The top end of the movable arm 121 is connected to the bottom wall 112 of the door bracket 110 via a connecting shaft 160 in a manner that allows relative rotation. In the following description, the axis of rotation of the movable arm 121 relative to the door bracket 110 is referred to as the "hinge axis Axh".

[0042] Two guide rollers 122 and 123 are rotatably supported at the base end of the main wall 121a of the movable arm 121. The rotation axes of the two guide rollers 122 and 123 are parallel to the hinge axis Axh. A support roller 124 is rotatably supported on the support wall 121b of the movable arm 121. The rotation axis of the support roller 124 is torsional to the rotation axes of the two guide rollers 122 and 123. When the guide mechanism 120 is viewed from above, the support roller 124 is located between the two guide rollers 122 and 123.

[0043] <Locking Mechanism 130>

[0044] like Figures 3-5As shown, the locking mechanism 130 has a main base 131, a secondary base 132, a latch support shaft 133, a pawl support shaft 134, a latch 135, a pawl 136, a cable guide 137, a latch spring 141, a pawl spring 142, a guide spring 143, two nuts 144, and a release cable 150.

[0045] The main base 131 and the secondary base 132 are formed, for example, by stamping a metal sheet. The main base 131 and the secondary base 132 are plate-shaped. The main base 131 has a first support portion 131a and a second support portion 131b that supports the ends of springs 141-143. In this embodiment, two nuts 144 are joined to the lower surface of the main base 131 by welding or the like. That is, the main base 131 and the two nuts 144 are integrally formed. In other embodiments, the main base 131 may also be separately formed from the two nuts 144.

[0046] The latch support shaft 133 and the pawl support shaft 134 are cylindrical. The latch support shaft 133 and the pawl support shaft 134 connect the main base 131 and the sub-base 132 in the plate thickness direction. In other words, one end of the latch support shaft 133 and one end of the pawl support shaft 134 are fixed to the main base 131, and the other end of the latch support shaft 133 and the other end of the pawl support shaft 134 are fixed to the sub-base 132. At this time, a gap exists between the main base 131 and the sub-base 132.

[0047] The latch 135 is in the shape of a circular plate. The latch 135 has an engagement groove 135a extending in a direction orthogonal to the plate thickness direction. The latch 135 is rotatably supported on a latch support shaft 133. The latch 135 is rotatable about the axis of the latch support shaft 133 between a fully latched position that can be locked to the firing pin 70 and a latch-out position that cannot be locked to the firing pin 70.

[0048] The latch spring 141 is a torsion spring. A latch support shaft 133 is inserted into the coil portion of the latch spring 141. The first end of the latch spring 141 is engaged with the latch 135, and the second end of the latch spring 141 is engaged with the second support portion 131b of the main base 131. The latch spring 141 applies force to the latch 135 in the direction from the fully latched position toward the latch-out position.

[0049] The pawl 136 is hook-shaped. The pawl 136 is rotatably supported on the pawl support shaft 134. The pawl 136 is rotatable between a restricted position and a retracted position. The restricted position is a position that restricts rotation of the latch 135 from the fully latched position to the latch-out position by engaging with the latch 135 in the fully latched position. The retracted position is a position that allows rotation of the latch 135 from the fully latched position to the latch-out position by retracting from the latch 135 in the fully latched position.

[0050] The pawl spring 142 is a torsion spring. A pawl support shaft 134 is inserted into the coil portion of the pawl spring 142. The first end of the pawl spring 142 is engaged with the pawl 136, and the second end of the pawl spring 142 is engaged with the first support portion 131a of the main base 131. The pawl spring 142 applies force to the pawl 136 in the direction from the retracted position toward the restricted position.

[0051] The cable guide 137 has a first portion 137a, a second portion 137b, and a third portion 137c. The cable guide 137 is formed, for example, by stamping a sheet of metal. In this case, the first portion 137a, the second portion 137b, and the third portion 137c are flat. The first portion 137a is elongated. The second portion 137b is bent from the top of the first portion 137a. The third portion 137c is bent from the end of the second portion 137b in the width direction towards the thickness direction of the second portion 137b. The base end of the first portion 137a of the cable guide 137 is rotatably supported on a pawl support shaft 134. That is, the axis of rotation of the cable guide 137 coincides with the axis of rotation of the pawl 136. Axially, the cable guide 137 is located between the main base 131 and the pawl 136 on the pawl support shaft 134. The cable guide 137 can rotate independently relative to the pawl 136.

[0052] The guide spring 143 is a helical spring. The first end of the guide spring 143 is engaged with the second support portion 131b of the main base 131, and the second end of the guide spring 143 is engaged with the third portion 137c of the cable guide 137. The guide spring 143 applies a force to the cable guide 137 in the direction that the third portion 137c of the cable guide 137 approaches the second support portion 131b of the main base 131. Thus, the guide spring 143 generates a torque in the cable guide 137 that causes it to rotate in the second direction R2. In the following description, the torque generated in the cable guide 137 by the force of the guide spring 143 is referred to as the "torque corresponding to the force of the guide spring 143".

[0053] In the locking mechanism 130 described above, the latch 135 is supported by a latch support shaft 133 fixed to the main base 131. Additionally, the pawl 136 and the cable guide 137 are supported by a pawl support shaft 134 fixed to the main base 131. Furthermore, the latch spring 141, the pawl spring 142, and the guide spring 143 are supported on the main base 131. At these points, the main base 131 is equivalent to a "base". Furthermore, the axis of the pawl support shaft 134 corresponds to the axis of rotation of the cable guide 137.

[0054] like Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, the release cable 150 has a housing 151, two outer ends 152, an inner wire 153, and two inner ends 154.

[0055] The outer casing 151 is cylindrical. The outer casing 151 is constructed from multiple materials including metal and resin. The outer casing 151 preferably has moderate elasticity, allowing it to bend with a predetermined bending radius. Two outer ends 152 are fixed to the two ends along the long side of the outer casing 151. An inner wire 153 is inserted into the outer casing 151 in a manner that allows it to move in and out of the casing 151. Two inner ends 154 are fixed to the two ends along the long side of the inner wire 153. In this embodiment, the inner ends 154 are spherical, but in other embodiments, the inner ends 154 may be plate-shaped or cylindrical.

[0056] like Figure 1 As shown, most of the release cable 150 is wired inside the sliding door 30. In this respect, it is preferable that the housing 151 is secured to the door body 31 by one or more cable clamps. Additionally, as... Figure 1 As shown, the first end of the release cable 150 is connected to the remote controller 80. Specifically, at the first end of the release cable 150, the outer end portion 152 and the inner end portion 154 are connected to the remote controller 80. On the other hand, at the second end of the release cable 150, the outer end portion 152 is held in the second portion 137b of the cable guide 137. The method of holding the outer end portion 152 relative to the cable guide 137 can be appropriately selected. For example, the outer end portion 152 can be inserted into a slot provided in the cable guide 137, or a fastening member can be used to fix the outer end portion 152 to the cable guide 137. In addition, at the second end of the release cable 150, the inner end portion 154 engages with the pawl 136. Here, the portion of the pawl 136 that engages with the inner end portion 154 and the portion of the pawl 136 that engages with the latch 135 are located on opposite sides of the rotation axis of the pawl 136.

[0057] In this embodiment, the portion holding the release cable 150 is subjected to a force corresponding to the displacement of the wiring accompanying the release cable 150 and the elastic modulus of the release cable 150. Specifically, the release cable 150 applies a force to the cable guide 137 via the outer end 152 of its second end. As a result, the release cable 150 causes the cable guide 137 to generate a torque that rotates the cable guide 137 in a first direction R1. In the following description, the torque generated in the cable guide 137 by the force of the release cable 150 is referred to as the "torque corresponding to the force of the release cable 150". The direction of the torque corresponding to the force of the release cable 150 is the opposite direction to the direction of the torque corresponding to the force of the guide spring 143. Furthermore, the direction and magnitude of the force of the release cable 150 can vary depending on the wiring method of the release cable 150 and the elastic modulus of the release cable 150, etc.

[0058] like Figure 3 As shown, the locking mechanism 130 is fixed to the movable arm 121 by two bolts 170 and two nuts 144. At this time, with the main base 131 of the locking mechanism 130 overlapping the main wall 121a of the movable arm 121, the main base 131 is fixed to the main wall 121a. With the locking mechanism 130 fixed to the movable arm 121, at least a portion of the latch 135 of the locking mechanism 130 protrudes from the movable arm 121.

[0059] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the lower hinge unit 61 is fixed to the inner panel 32 of the sliding door 30. Specifically, the side wall 111 of the door bracket 110 of the lower hinge unit 61 is fixed near the front end and lower end of the inner panel 32 of the sliding door 30. At this time, the fixing surface 111a of the side wall 111 is in contact with the surface of the inner panel 32. For example, a fastening component can be used to fix the door bracket 110. With the door bracket 110 fixed to the sliding door 30, the bottom wall 112 extends inward from the sliding door 30 in the width direction. In addition, the hinge axis Axh extends in the vertical direction.

[0060] The two guide rollers 122 and 123 of the guide mechanism 120 of the lower hinge unit 61 are engaged with the lower rail 51. At this time, the two guide rollers 122 and 123 and the support roller 124 of the guide mechanism 120 are arranged along the long side of the lower rail 51. By the rolling of the two guide rollers 122 and 123 relative to the lower rail 51, the lower hinge unit 61 can move along the lower rail 51. In the following description, the angle formed between the rotation axis of the support roller 124 and the straight line extending in the front-rear direction is referred to as the "angle θa of the movable arm 121". In this embodiment, the angle θa of the movable arm 121 corresponds to the posture of the movable arm 121.

[0061] Furthermore, when the door support device 40 is mounted on the vehicle 10, the support roller 124 of the guide mechanism 120 of the lower hinge unit 61 rolls on a support surface provided on the vehicle body 20. Here, it is preferable that the support surface is a plane orthogonal to the vertical direction. Alternatively, the support surface may also be provided on the lower rail 51 instead of the vehicle body 20.

[0062] <Middle rail 52 and upper rail 53>

[0063] like Figure 1As shown, the middle rail 52 is fixed to the vehicle body 20 at a rearward position relative to the rear end of the door opening 21. The middle rail 52 is located below the upper rail 53 and above the lower rail 51. The upper rail 53 is fixed to the vehicle body 20 at an upper position relative to the upper end of the door opening 21. The middle rail 52 and the upper rail 53 extend in the front-rear direction. Preferably, in a top view viewed from above, the middle rail 52 and the upper rail 53 extend inward in the width direction as they move forward.

[0064] <Middle hinge unit 62 and upper hinge unit 63>

[0065] like Figure 1 As shown, the middle hinge unit 62 is fixed near the rear end of the sliding door 30 and near the center in the vertical direction. The upper hinge unit 63 is fixed near the front end of the sliding door 30 and near the top. Preferably, the middle hinge unit 62 and the upper hinge unit 63 have structures corresponding to the door bracket 110 and guide mechanism 120 in the lower hinge unit 61. Furthermore, the middle hinge unit 62 is engaged with the middle rail 52 in a manner that allows it to move relative to the middle rail 52. Similarly, the upper hinge unit 63 is engaged with the upper rail 53 in a manner that allows it to move relative to the upper rail 53.

[0066] <Firing Needle 70>

[0067] like Figure 2 As shown, the firing pin 70 has a firing pin shaft 71, a buffer pad 72, and a firing pin retainer 73.

[0068] The firing pin shaft 71 is made of a highly rigid material such as metal. The firing pin shaft 71 is cylindrical. The firing pin shaft 71 is engaged by the latch 135 of the locking mechanism 130. The buffer pad 72 is made of an elastomer such as viscoelastic rubber or resin. Similar to the firing pin shaft 71, the firing pin retainer 73 is made of a highly rigid material such as metal. The firing pin retainer 73 holds the firing pin shaft 71 and the buffer pad 72. The firing pin retainer 73 is fixed in a position relative to the rear end of the lower rail 51. At this time, the axial direction of the firing pin shaft 71 is aligned with the vertical direction.

[0069] <Remote Control 80>

[0070] The remote control 80 is a structure that transmits the operating force of the door handle 35 to the locking mechanism 130. Preferably, the remote control 80 is disposed inside the sliding door 30 near the door handle 35. The remote control 80 is configured such that when the door handle 35 is operated, the first end of the release cable 150 can pull the inner cable 153 relative to the housing 151. Furthermore, when the remote control 80 pulls the inner cable 153, the pawl 136 at the second end of the release cable 150 rotates toward the retracted position.

[0071] <Gate drive device 90>

[0072] The door drive unit 90 drives the sliding door 30. For example, the door drive unit 90 transmits power from the electric motor to the sliding door 30 via power transmission components such as cables and wires, thereby driving the sliding door 30. When the sliding door 30 is in the fully closed position, when the user operates the door handle 35, the door drive unit 90 moves the sliding door 30 towards the fully open position. Conversely, when the sliding door 30 is in the fully open position, when the user operates the door handle 35, the door drive unit 90 moves the sliding door 30 towards the fully closed position.

[0073] <Other Structures>

[0074] The locking mechanism 130 of the door support device 40 is a fully unlocked mechanism that restrains the sliding door 30 to the vehicle body 20 in the fully open position. Although the description is omitted, it is preferable that the door support device 40 has a fully locked mechanism that restrains the sliding door 30 to the vehicle body 20 in the fully closed position.

[0075] <The function of this implementation method>

[0076] Reference Figures 6-9 The function of closing the sliding door 30 from the fully open position is explained.

[0077] When the sliding door 30 is in the fully open position, the lower hinge unit 61 is located near the rear end of the lower rail 51, the middle hinge unit 62 is located near the rear end of the middle rail 52, and the upper hinge unit 63 is located near the rear end of the upper rail 53.

[0078] like Figure 6 As shown, when the sliding door 30 is in the fully open position, in the lower hinge unit 61, the latch 135 of the locking mechanism 130 is in the fully latched position, locked to the striker 70. Specifically, the striker shaft 71 of the striker 70 is housed in the engagement groove 135a of the latch 135. Furthermore, the pawl 136 is in a restrictive position that limits rotation of the latch 135 toward the latch-out position. Thus, the sliding door 30 is restrained to the vehicle body 20 in a manner that prevents it from moving in the closing direction. On the other hand, when the sliding door 30 is to be moved from the fully open position to the opening direction, the latch 135 of the lower hinge unit 61 contacts the buffer pad 72 of the striker 70. At this point, the sliding door 30 is also restrained to the vehicle body 20 in a manner that prevents it from moving from the fully open position to the opening direction.

[0079] When the sliding door 30 is in the fully open position, the hinge axis Axh of the lower hinge unit 61 is located rearward relative to the rotation axes of the two guide rollers 122 and 123, and is also located outward in the width direction relative to the rotation axes of the two guide rollers 122 and 123. Furthermore, the door bracket 110 of the lower hinge unit 61 is located furthest and outermost within its range of motion. Additionally, the angle θa of the movable arm 121 becomes a near-right angle. Furthermore, the distance Ln in the width direction between the fixed surface 111a of the door bracket 110 and the rotation axis of the cable guide 137 becomes the longest.

[0080] When the sliding door 30 is in the fully open position, the torque acting on the cable guide 137 is as follows: the torque corresponding to the force of the guide spring 143 becomes greater than the torque corresponding to the force of the release cable 150. Therefore, the cable guide 137 rotates to the maximum extent in the second direction R2 within its rotatable range. Furthermore, the cable guide 137 is positioned closest to the second direction R2 within its rotatable range by contacting the nut 144. In this respect, the nut 144 acts as a "positioning part" for positioning the cable guide 137. In addition, the portion of the release cable 150 exposed from the sliding door 30 extends in a generally straight line between the cable guide 137 and the cable insertion hole 32a of the sliding door 30.

[0081] When the sliding door 30 is closed from the fully open position, the user of vehicle 10 operates the door handle 35. Based on the operating force on the door handle 35, the remote control 80 pulls the inner wire 153 of the release cable 150. As a result, in the locking mechanism 130, the pawl 136 is pulled by the inner wire 153 of the release cable 150, and the pawl 136 rotates from the locked position toward the retracted position. Here, the outer end 152 of the second end of the release cable 150 is held in place by the cable guide 137 positioned by the nut 144. Therefore, the operating force and amount of operation of the door handle 35 required to rotate the pawl 136 to the retracted position are less likely to deviate. When the pawl 136 rotates to the retracted position, the latch 135 rotates from the fully latched position toward the latch-out position based on the force of the latch spring 141. As a result, the latch 135 is no longer locked to the striker 70. That is, the constraint of the sliding door 30 in the fully open position on the vehicle body 20 is released.

[0082] Next, the door drive device 90 transmits power to the sliding door 30, causing the sliding door 30 to close. When the sliding door 30 is closed, the lower hinge unit 61 moves forward along the lower rail 51, the middle hinge unit 62 moves forward along the middle rail 52, and the upper hinge unit 63 moves forward along the upper rail 53.

[0083] like Figure 7As shown, when the sliding door 30 is closed, the lower hinge unit 61 moves along the first bend 51a of the lower rail 51 and then along the second bend 51b. When the two guide rollers 122 and 123 move along the first bend 51a of the lower rail 51, the positional relationship of the rotation axes of the two guide rollers 122 and 123 in the width direction changes slightly. Specifically, the rotation axis of the front guide roller 122 moves slightly inward and then slightly outward relative to the rotation axis of the rear guide roller 123 in the width direction. As a result, the angle θa of the movable arm 121 slightly increases and then slightly decreases. On the other hand, as the two guide rollers 122 and 123 travel forward along the long side of the first bend 51a of the lower rail 51, they tend to move further inward in the width direction. At this time, the hinge axis Axh moves further inward in the width direction as it travels forward.

[0084] Furthermore, when the two guide rollers 122 and 123 move along the front end of the first bend 51a of the lower rail 51, the change in the angle θa of the movable arm 121 relative to the forward movement of the lower hinge unit 61 is greater compared to the case where it moves along other parts of the first bend 51a of the lower rail 51. In this respect, when the two guide rollers 122 and 123 move along the front end of the first bend 51a of the lower rail 51, the inward movement in the width direction is greater relative to the hinge axis Axh compared to the case where it moves along other parts of the first bend 51a of the lower rail 51.

[0085] Next, as the two guide rollers 122 and 123 move along the second bend 51b of the lower rail 51, their positional relationship in the width direction changes drastically. Specifically, the rotation axis of the front guide roller 122 moves outward in the width direction relative to the rotation axis of the rear guide roller 123. As a result, the angle θa of the movable arm 121 decreases sharply. On the other hand, the further forward the two guide rollers 122 and 123 travel, the further outward they move in the width direction. At this time, the hinge axis Axh moves inward in the width direction the further forward it travels.

[0086] like Figure 2 and Figure 8As shown, when the guide roller 122 on the front side reaches the front end of the second bend 51b of the lower rail 51, the sliding door 30 is positioned in the fully closed position. When the sliding door 30 is in the fully closed position, the hinge axis Axh of the lower hinge unit 61 is located rearward compared to the rotation axes of the two guide rollers 122 and 123, and inward in the width direction compared to the rotation axis of the front guide roller 122. Furthermore, the door bracket 110 of the lower hinge unit 61 is located at the foremost position and inward in the width direction within its range of motion. Additionally, the angle θa of the movable arm 121 becomes the smallest within the acceptable angle range. Furthermore, the distance Ln in the width direction between the fixing surface 111a of the door bracket 110 and the rotation axis of the cable guide 137 becomes the shortest. That is, the distance Ln when the sliding door 30 is positioned in the fully closed position is shorter than the distance Ln when the sliding door 30 is positioned in the fully open position. In this embodiment, as the sliding door 30 moves from the fully open position to the fully closed position, the distance Ln gradually shortens.

[0087] like Figure 8 As shown, in this embodiment, the locking mechanism 130 is not provided on the door bracket 110, whose posture does not change during the opening and closing of the sliding door 30, but on the movable arm 121, whose posture changes during the opening and closing of the sliding door 30. Furthermore, when the sliding door 30 is in the fully closed position, the angle θa of the movable arm 121 is smaller compared to when the sliding door 30 is in the fully open position. In other words, when the sliding door 30 is in the fully closed position, the width dimension of the movable arm 121 is shorter compared to when the sliding door 30 is in the fully open position. That is, when the sliding door 30 is in the fully closed position, the amount of inward protrusion of the movable arm 121 in the width direction is reduced. At these points, when the sliding door 30 is in the fully closed position, the amount of inward protrusion of the lower hinge unit 61 based on the sliding door 30 in the width direction is also reduced.

[0088] When the sliding door 30 is in the closing position, as the angle θa of the movable arm 121 decreases, the force exerted by the release cable 150 on the cable guide 137 increases. This is because the smaller the angle θa of the movable arm 121, the greater the compressive load acting on the release cable 150. Specifically, this is because the compressive load acting on the release cable 150 increases as the portion of the housing 151 fixed by the cable clamp inside the sliding door 30 approaches the portion held by the cable guide 137 within the housing 151. Therefore, when the sliding door 30 is in the fully closed position, the force exerted by the release cable 150 on the cable guide 137 is at its maximum, and the torque corresponding to the force exerted by the release cable 150 becomes maximum. As a result, as Figure 8 As shown, when the sliding door 30 is in the fully closed position, it is similar to... Figure 6Compared to the fully open position of the sliding door 30, the cable guide 137 rotates in the first direction R1 and the guide spring 143 extends. Therefore, in the release cable 150, the portion exposed from the sliding door 30 does not have a small radius of curvature bend. Therefore, as... Figure 9 As shown, the cable guide 137 is configured to... Figure 6 Compared to the reference example where the shell 151 is non-rotatable, the radius of curvature of the curved portion of the shell 151 in this embodiment is larger.

[0089] In addition, Figure 8 In the indicated state, the cable guide 137 is not in contact with the nut 144, etc. Therefore, the cable guide 137 achieves a balance between the torque corresponding to the force acting on the releasing cable 150 and the torque corresponding to the force acting on the guide spring 143, thereby taking [action / action]. Figure 8 The posture shown. At this point, for example, if the spring constant of the guide spring 143 becomes smaller or the elastic modulus of the housing 151 of the release cable 150 becomes higher, the cable guide 137 adopts a more... Figure 8 The position shown is rotated in the first direction R1. On the other hand, if the spring constant of the guide spring 143 increases or the elastic modulus of the housing 151 of the release cable 150 decreases, the cable guide 137 adopts a more... Figure 8 The position shown is rotated in the second direction R2.

[0090] Next, the function of opening the sliding door 30 from the fully closed position will be briefly explained.

[0091] When the sliding door 30 is opened from the fully closed position, the user of vehicle 10 operates the door handle 35. This releases the constraint on vehicle body 20 based on the fully locked sliding door 30 (not shown). Next, the door drive unit 90 opens the sliding door 30 by transmitting power to it. When the sliding door 30 is opened, the lower hinge unit 61 moves rearward along the lower rail 51, the middle hinge unit 62 moves rearward along the middle rail 52, and the upper hinge unit 63 moves rearward along the upper rail 53.

[0092] The changes in posture of the movable arm 121 in the lower hinge unit 61, the position of the hinge axis Axh, and the position of the door bracket 110 are opposite to those during the closing action of the sliding door 30. When the guide roller 123 on the rear side of the lower hinge unit 61 moves to near the rear end of the lower rail 51, the latch 135 of the locking mechanism 130 contacts the striker shaft 71 of the striker 70. Subsequently, as the movement of the lower hinge unit 61 continues, the striker 70 also moves relative to the bottom of the engagement groove 135a of the latch 135. As a result, the latch 135 rotates toward the fully latched position. With the latch 135 rotating, the pawl 136 slides along the latch 135. When the latch 135 rotates to the fully latched position, the pawl 136 rotates to the restricted position. That is, the sliding door 30 is constrained to the vehicle body 20, and the sliding door 30 is positioned in the fully open position. Thus, the opening action of the sliding door 30 is completed.

[0093] <Effects of this implementation method>

[0094] (1) When the locking mechanism 130 is fixed to the movable arm 121, the posture of the locking mechanism 130 changes with the opening and closing of the sliding door 30. As a result, there is a concern that the release cable 150 of the locking mechanism 130 may be bent, thus putting a load on the release cable 150. In this regard, the door support device 40 is provided with a cable guide 137, which can rotate in a direction that eases the bending of the release cable 150 while holding the outer end 152 of the second end of the release cable 150. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the load on the release cable 150 that accompanies the opening and closing of the sliding door 30.

[0095] (2) When the movable arm 121 rotates during the closing action of the sliding door 30, the distance Ln between the door bracket 110 and the axis of rotation of the movable arm 121 becomes shorter. At this point, since the cable guide 137 is rotatable, even when the distance Ln between the axis of rotation of the door bracket 110 and the movable arm 121 becomes shorter, the load acting on the release cable 150 can be reduced. In other words, the bending load acting on the release cable 150 is reduced.

[0096] (3) The door support device 40 has a guide spring 143 that applies force to the cable guide 137 in the second direction R2. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the posture of the released cable 150 from becoming unstable during the opening and closing of the sliding door 30. In other words, the posture of the released cable 150 becomes easily and uniquely determined relative to the position of the sliding door 30.

[0097] (4) When closing the sliding door 30 from the fully open position, the latch 135 needs to be rotated from the fully latched position to the latch-out position by rotating the pawl 136 from the locked position to the retracted position. That is, the power required to rotate the pawl 136 to the retracted position needs to be transmitted to the pawl 136 via the release cable 150. In this regard, in the door support device 40, when the sliding door 30 is in the fully open position, the cable guide 137 is positioned by the nut 144, which serves as a positioning part. Therefore, the power required to rotate the pawl 136 to the retracted position can be transmitted to the pawl 136 more reliably.

[0098] (5) In the lower hinge unit 61, the cable guide 137 is rotatably supported on the pawl support shaft 134. Therefore, the door support device 40 does not need to have a new support shaft to support the cable guide 137 in a rotatable manner. Therefore, the structure of the locking mechanism 130 can be simplified.

[0099] (6) All components of the locking mechanism 130 except the main base 131 are assembled onto the main base 131. Furthermore, the locking mechanism 130 is fixed to the movable arm 121 by fixing the main base 131 of the locking mechanism 130. Therefore, before fixing the locking mechanism 130 to the movable arm 121, structures other than the main base 131 of the locking mechanism 130 can be assembled onto the main base 131 of the locking mechanism 130. That is, the locking mechanism 130 can be modularized. Therefore, the operability during the manufacture of the door support device 40 or the assembly of the vehicle 10 is improved.

[0100] (7) In the door support device 40, the movable arm 121, to which the locking mechanism 130 is fixed, changes its posture as the sliding door 30 opens and closes. Therefore, even if the movable arm 121 is larger, the amount of the movable arm 121 protruding inward in the width direction is not likely to increase when the sliding door 30 is in the fully closed position. In other words, even if the movable arm 121 is larger, the amount of the lower hinge unit 61 protruding inward from the sliding door 30 in the width direction is not likely to increase when the sliding door 30 is in the fully closed position. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the narrowing of the space adjacent to the door support device 40 in the width direction.

[0101] <Example of Change>

[0102] This embodiment can be implemented with the following modifications. This embodiment and the following modifications can be combined and implemented together as long as there is no technical contradiction.

[0103] Vehicle 10 may also be without door drive device 90. That is, sliding door 30 may not be an electric sliding door.

[0104] In vehicle 10, the lower rail 51 and upper rail 53 can be replaced, as can the lower hinge unit 61 and upper hinge unit 63. Alternatively, the lower rail 51 can be used instead of the upper rail 53, and the lower hinge unit 61 can be used instead of the upper hinge unit 63. This modification can suppress the narrowing of the space in the upper part of the vehicle compartment in the width direction.

[0105] In the lower hinge unit 61, the components of the locking mechanism 130 can also be directly assembled to the movable arm 121. In this case, the locking mechanism 130 may not have a main base 131.

[0106] In the lower hinge unit 61, the cable guide 137 may be rotatably supported on the latch support shaft 133. Alternatively, the lower hinge unit 61 may further include a guide support shaft that supports the cable guide 137 in a rotatable manner.

[0107] In the lower hinge unit 61, the cable guide 137 may also be configured to be linearly displaceable relative to the main base 131.

[0108] The lower hinge unit 61 may not have a structure equivalent to a "positioning part". Alternatively, the positioning part may be constructed by cutting or the like of cutting the main base 131.

[0109] The lower hinge unit 61 may also be without the guide spring 143. This modification can suppress small-radius bending of the release cable 150 when the sliding door 30 is in the fully closed position.

[0110] In the lower hinge unit 61, the latch spring 141, the pawl spring 142, and the guide spring 143 can also be other types of springs. As an example, the guide spring 143 can also be a torsion spring.

[0111] In the lower hinge unit 61, the release cable 150 can be any cable that can transmit power between the remote control 80 and the pawl 136.

[0112] The structures of the lower rail 51 and the lower hinge unit 61 only need to allow the posture of the movable arm 121 to change during the opening and closing of the sliding door 30. For example, in the door support device 40, the lower rail 51 may not be S-shaped. In addition, the lower rail 51 may be configured to include two or more rails. However, the movable arm 121 must be configured to change its posture during the opening and closing of the sliding door 30.

[0113] <Summary of this implementation method>

[0114] A door support device (40) supports a sliding door (30) on a vehicle body (20) having a door opening (21) on its side. The sliding door (30) opens and closes the door opening (21). The door support device (40) includes a guide rail (51) and a hinge unit (61) that are fixed to the vehicle body (20) in a manner that extends in the front-rear direction. The hinge unit (61) includes: guide rollers (122, 123) that move along the guide rail (51) by rolling relative to the guide rail (51); a door bracket (110) fixed to the sliding door (30); a movable arm (121) that supports the guide rollers (122, 123) for rotation and is rotatably connected to the door bracket (110); and a locking mechanism (130) fixed to the movable arm (121) and constraining the sliding door (30) to the vehicle body (20) when the sliding door (30) is configured in the fully open position with the door opening (21) fully open. The locking mechanism (130) includes: a release cable (150) that releases the constraint of the sliding door (30) on the striker (70) based on the locking mechanism (130) by being pulled; and a cable guide (137) that holds the release cable (150). The cable guide (137) is rotatable relative to the movable arm (121).

[0115] When the locking mechanism is fixed to the movable arm, the posture of the locking mechanism changes as the sliding door closes. Specifically, there is a concern that the release cable of the locking mechanism may be bent, potentially putting a load on the cable. To address this, the door support device described above includes a cable guide that holds the release cable and can rotate relative to the movable arm during the opening and closing of the sliding door. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the load on the release cable that accompanies the closing of the sliding door.

[0116] In the aforementioned door support device (40), it is preferable that the distance in the width direction of the vehicle body (20) between the rotation axis of the door bracket (110) and the movable arm (121) is shorter when the sliding door (30) is configured in the fully closed position with the door opening (21) fully closed than when the sliding door (30) is configured in the fully open position.

[0117] As the sliding door closes and the movable arm rotates, the distance in the width direction between the door bracket and the axis of rotation of the movable arm decreases. At this point, because the cable guide can rotate, the load acting on the release cable can be reduced even when the distance in the width direction between the door bracket and the axis of rotation of the movable arm decreases.

[0118] In the aforementioned door support device (40), the rotation direction of the cable guide (137) accompanying the closing action of the sliding door (30) can be a first direction, and the opposite direction of the first direction can be a second direction. Preferably, the locking mechanism (130) has a guide spring (143) that applies force to the cable guide (137) in the second direction.

[0119] Without a guide spring in the locking mechanism, the cable release posture during the opening and closing of the sliding door can easily take on various forms. In other words, the relationship between the position of the sliding door and the cable release posture is not easily determined uniquely. In this regard, the door support device of the above structure has a guide spring that applies force to the cable guide in a second direction. Therefore, it can prevent the cable release posture from becoming unstable during the opening and closing of the sliding door.

[0120] In the aforementioned door support device (40), preferably, the locking mechanism (130) further comprises: a latch (135) configured to rotate between a fully latched position capable of engaging the striker (70) and a latch-out position not capable of engaging the striker (70); a pawl (136) configured to rotate between a restricted position and a retracted position, the restricted position being a position that restricts the rotation of the latch (135) toward the latch-out position by engaging the latch (135) in the fully latched position, the retracted position being a position that allows the latch (135) to rotate toward the latch-out position by retracting from the latch (135); and a positioning portion (144) that positions the cable guide (137) when the sliding door (30) is configured in the fully open position.

[0121] When closing a sliding door from the fully open position, the latch needs to be rotated from the locked position to the retracted position, thereby rotating the latch from the fully locked position to the unlocked position. That is, the power required to rotate the pawl to the retracted position needs to be transmitted to the pawl via a release cable. In this respect, in the door support device of the above structure, when the sliding door is in the fully open position, the cable guide is positioned by a positioning part. Therefore, the power required to rotate the pawl to the retracted position can be transmitted to the pawl more reliably.

[0122] In the aforementioned door support device (40), preferably, the locking mechanism (130) further comprises: a latch (135) configured to rotate between a fully latched position capable of engaging the striker (70) and a latch-released position not capable of engaging the striker (70); a pawl (136) configured to rotate between a restricted position and a retracted position, wherein the restricted position restricts the rotation of the latch (135) toward the latch-released position by engaging the latch (135) in the fully latched position, and the retracted position allows the latch (135) to rotate toward the latch-released position by retracting from the latch (135); a latch support shaft (133) rotatably supporting the latch (135); and a pawl support shaft (134) rotatably supporting the pawl (136). Preferably, the release cable (150) is connected to the pawl (136) and is pulled to rotate the pawl (136) to the retracted position. Preferably, the cable guide (137) is rotatably supported on the latch support shaft (133) or the pawl support shaft (134).

[0123] The door support device does not require a new support shaft to support the cable guide so that it can rotate. Therefore, the structure of the locking mechanism can be simplified.

[0124] In the aforementioned door support device (40), it is preferable that the locking mechanism (130) further has a base (131) for fixing the latch support shaft (133) and the pawl support shaft (134). Preferably, the locking mechanism (130) is fixed to the movable arm (121) by fixing the base (131) to the movable arm (121).

[0125] Before fixing the locking mechanism to the movable arm, the structure of the locking mechanism other than the base can be assembled on the base of the locking mechanism. That is, the locking mechanism is modularized. Therefore, the operability during the manufacturing of the door support device and the assembly of the vehicle is improved.

[0126] Symbol Explanation

[0127] 10…Vehicle, 20…Body, 21…Door opening, 30…Sliding door, 40…Door support device, 51…Lower rail (guide rail), 61…Lower hinge unit (hinge unit), 70…Striker, 110…Door bracket, 120…Guide mechanism, 121…Modible arm, 122, 123…Guide rollers, 130…Locking mechanism, 131…Main base (base), 133…Latch support shaft, 134…Pawl support shaft, 135…Latch, 136…Pawl, 137…Cable guide, 141…Latch spring, 142…Pawl spring, 143…Guide spring, 144…Nut (positioning part), 150…Release cable, 160…Connecting shaft, Axh…Hinge axis, Ln…Distance, R1…First direction, R2…Second direction.

Claims

1. A door support device for supporting a sliding door on a vehicle body having a door opening on its side, the sliding door opening and closing the door opening, wherein... The door support device includes: A guide rail, which is fixed to the vehicle body in a manner extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body; and Hinge unit, The hinge unit has: A guide roller that moves along the guide rail by rolling relative to the guide rail; A door bracket, which is fixed to the sliding door; A movable arm that supports the guide roller in a rotatable manner and is rotatably connected relative to the gantry bracket; as well as A locking mechanism, fixed to the movable arm, and constraining the sliding door to the vehicle body with a striker when the sliding door is positioned in the fully open position with the door opening fully open. The locking mechanism has: Release cable, which is pulled to release the constraint of the sliding door relative to the striker based on the locking mechanism; as well as A cable guide that holds the release cable. The cable guide is rotatable relative to the movable arm.

2. The door support device according to claim 1, wherein, The distance in the width direction of the vehicle body between the rotation axis of the door bracket and the movable arm becomes shorter when the sliding door is configured in the fully closed position with the door opening fully closed than when the sliding door is configured in the fully open position.

3. The door support device according to claim 2, wherein, The direction of rotation of the cable guide accompanying the closing action of the sliding door is a first direction, and the opposite direction of the first direction is a second direction. The locking mechanism has a guide spring that applies force to the cable guide in the second direction.

4. The door support device according to claim 3, wherein, The locking mechanism further comprises: A latch configured to rotate between a fully latched position capable of engaging with the firing pin and a latch-out position in which it cannot engage with the firing pin; A pawl configured to rotate between a restricted position and a retracted position, the restricted position being a position that restricts rotation of the latch toward the latch-out position by engaging the latch in the fully latched position, and the retracted position being a position that allows rotation of the latch toward the latch-out position by retracting from the latch; as well as The positioning part positions the cable guide when the sliding door is configured in the fully open position.

5. The door support device according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein, The locking mechanism further comprises: A latch configured to rotate between a fully latched position capable of engaging with the firing pin and a latch-out position in which it cannot engage with the firing pin; A pawl configured to rotate between a restricted position and a retracted position, the restricted position being a position that restricts rotation of the latch toward the latch-out position by engaging the latch in the fully latched position, and the retracted position being a position that allows rotation of the latch toward the latch-out position by retracting from the latch; A latch support shaft that supports the latch so that it can rotate; as well as A pawl support shaft that supports the pawl so that it can rotate. The release cable is connected to the pawl, and by being pulled, the pawl rotates toward the retracted position. The cable guide is rotatably supported on the latch support shaft or the pawl support shaft.

6. The door support device according to claim 5, wherein, The locking mechanism further includes a base for fixing the latch support shaft and the pawl support shaft. The locking mechanism is fixed to the movable arm by fixing the base to the movable arm.

Images